| Disclaimer: The characters in this story belong to George Lucas etc. The lyrics are from the song I Will Remember You, which I don't own either. I believe Sarah McLachlan sings it, but I'm not sure... I will remember you Will you remember me? Don't let your life pass you by Weep not for the memories Obi-Wan stood outside of the temple and looked over the city of Coruscant. It was getting late but he didn't care. He and his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, had just returned from their mission on the planet of Melida/Daan. They had gone there to rescue a Jedi Knight by the name of Tahl. She had been wounded in battle and then been held as a prisoner of war. While Obi-Wan had been there he had met so many people and made many friends. The two tribes of Melida and Daan had been fighting for centuries and no one could even remember the reason why. Finally the Young, children of the planet, had joined together to stop the fighting and get peace. It would have worked out wonderful if the Old, the elder generation of the planet, had agreed. Unfortunately they hadn't. Obi-Wan was with Cerasi and her friend Nield, crouching in a ditch, when the Old first attacked. The Young had told the Old that they were going to be in charge and that there was to be peace. The Old had laughed at the idea that the children could take over the planet. When they saw what the Young really were taking over and could possibly stop the war and take over the planet they got scared and angry. They somehow acquired star fighters, five of them, and began an air attack on the children who stood in the streets. Obi-Wan watched as torpedo's fell into the middle of a group of young children, all about ten or eleven. He saw children run, screaming, to get out of the open. The older children did their best to protect the young ones but it did no good. Eventually the torpedo's of the Old found their mark, landing in the middle of another group of kids. Cerasi screamed as she watched a boy she had helped raise fall to the ground, dead. Obi-Wan turned his back to the massacre to face his friends. Neilds face was white with terror, hurt, and anger. Cerasi was crying, she had been hoping for years that she would be able to bring the planet to peace and stop the fighting between the two tribes and now she was watching the whole planets future being blown up by five star fighters. I'm so tired but I can't sleep Standin' on the edge of something much too deep It's funny how we feel so much but cannot say a word No, we are screaming inside oh, but can't be heard Obi-Wan shivered as memories raced through his head. So much had happened on Melida/Daan. So much.... Suddenly the torpedoes stopped coming and the Star Fighters flew off. They're done! Obi-Wan thought with relief. Nield, Cerasi and himself slowly climbed out of the ditch to look at the damage that had been done. Children lay on the ground, some injured and others dead. No one was over the age of fifteen and most were younger than twelve. Cerasi ran to where some younger children sat, huddled together for support, crying. Gently she hugged a shaking, ten year old girl close to her. "It's going to be okay, Roenie. Don't worry. We'll find a way to fix it all." Cerasi said in a soothing voice. She looked at Obi-Wan, there was something in her eyes that had changed. Although she spoke words of hope and comfort all the hope had gone from her own eyes. No longer did Cerasi believe her dream would become a reality. Suddenly Roenie looked up, terror written all over her face. Cerasi, Nield, and Obi-Wan followed her gaze. The star fighters were back. Nield began to run for the ditch the others close behind him. Roenie tripped and Cerasi stopped to help her up. "Run Cerasi!" Obi-Wan yelled as another torpedo fell. Cerasi looked up in time to see the torpedo coming straight for her. Instead of running she threw herself on top of Roenie, shielding the small girl from the flying debris. No! Obi-Wan silently screamed. He tried to make his voice work but it wouldn't. Hands held him down, keeping him from running to Cerasi. It did no good to fight them, they were stronger than he was. Roenie screamed as the torpedo exploded just inches from where the two girls lay. That was all he could take. Obi-Wan collapsed in a heap on the bottom of the ditch, tears streaming down his face. I will remember you Will you remember me? Don't let your life pass you by Weep not for the memories Tears flowed freely now as Obi-Wan watched the sun get lower in the sky. He felt someone approaching. Quickly he wiped away the tears, he didn't want to be seen crying. Obi-Wan turned to see his Master coming towards him. Suddenly he was filled with anger, and hurt. "It was you!" He cried out in a rage, Qui-Gon looked at him, confused "It was you who held me back! You wouldn't let me go to Cerasi! She died saving Roenie, why wouldn't you let me die to save her? I hate you! I hate you!" Obi-Wan screamed. He opened his mouth to yell something else but he couldn't. Sobs racked his body as the image of Cerasi throwing herself over Roenie played in his mind over and over again. He collapsed into his Master's arms in a heap, crying over his friend. I'm so afraid to love you, but more afraid to lose Clinging to a past that doesn't let me choose Once there was a darkness, deep and endless night You gave me everything you had, oh you gave me light After the star fighters had left again Obi-Wan had pushed his way out of the ditch. More children were injured and even more dead. They were running for cover now, into the underground tunnels, trying to get out of the streets before the fighters came back. But Obi-Wan saw none of this. He only saw Roenie, still shielded by Cerasi's body. Nield had reached the two first, and he had quickly pulled Roenie away from Cerasi. Shielding her so that she wouldn't see her friends bloody body. Quietly Nield pulled the sobbing and shaking girl toward the ditch. Qui-Gon helped lower her into the tunnels and Nield followed her down, determined not to leave her alone. The Jedi Master looked back and called to his Padawan to come with him before the Old attacked again but the boy didn't seem to hear. Obi-Wan had reached Cerasi just as Nield had gone down the into the tunnels. He pulled her body close to his and sat there on the cold streets rocking back and forth with her in his arms. She had been able to understand him so well, and now, now she was dead. She had given him so much! Her trust, companionship, understanding. Why did it have to be her? Obi-Wan asked himself, Why her? I will remember you Will you remember me? Don't let your life pass you by Weep not for the memories Obi-Wan fought against his Master's arms. He didn't want to be held by him. Qui-Gon was the one who had held him back from saving Cerasi and then, and then after she was dead he dragged him away from her body! "You wouldn't let me stay with her! How could you? How could you drag me away? I wanted to stay with her!" Obi-Wan cried, he looked at his Master, "I wanted to stay with her!" Obi-Wan was yelling again, "Don't you understand? I wanted to stay with her...." Obi-Wans voice trailed off and the last sentence was barely louder than a whisper. Qui-Gon held Obi-Wan close and let him cry, obviously the boy was hurt more than he had thought. Everyone had been affected by Cerasi's death, Obi-Wan most of all but he hadn't thought it was this bad... Qui-Gon watched as Obi-Wan sat on the ground rocking Cerasi's body. She had died saving Roenie and now Obi-Wan was mourning over her. Obviously she hd been more than just a friend to him. She had understood him and he had understood her. Their had been a strong bond between them. Suddenly, out of nowhere the star fighters appeared again. Qui-Gon yelled to Obi-Wan to come with him but the boy didn't seem to hear, he just sat there, tears streaming down his face. He hurried over to Obi-Wan and pulled him away from Cerasi's body, pulling him towards the entrance to the underground tunnels. "Master, please, let me go back to her!" Obi-Wan cried out desperately. He fought his Masters hold but Qui-Gon was stronger than the boy and held fast to his arm. "Master! Let me go back! Please Master, please!" Obi-Wan begged. "Obi-Wan she's dead. I'm sorry, but there is nothing we can do for her. The only thing that you can do is get into the tunnels so that we don't die either. Cerasi wouldn't want that, she wouldn't want you to die!" Qui-Gon said, pulling him down into the tunnel. Obi-Wan fought the whole way down but when they reached the inside of the tunnel he had calmed down enough to help attend to the medical wounds of others. But Obi-Wan had been distant, distracted, not really paying much attention. Whenever another torpedo would hit Obi-Wan would flinch visibly and tears would come to his eyes. Remember the good times that we had? I let them slip away from us when things got bad How clearly I first saw you smilin' in the sun Wanna feel your warmth upon me, I wanna be the one "Padawan, you need to think of the time that you spent together rather than of her death. Remember all that you did together. Remember the first time that you saw her smile, and remember the hug she gave you before they went to face the Old. Obi-Wan she knew that she might die. She gave her life for Roenie so that Roenie might live long enough to see peace made. Cerasi was pure goodness Obi-Wan and she would not like to see you crying like this over her death." Qui-Gon said, doing his best to comfort the crying, teenage boy. Obi-Wan did his best to follow his Master's orders. He wanted to think of the good times but it was so hard! Obi-Wan was walking through the tunnels when he first saw Cerasi. She was comforting one of the younger children. Instantly he knew that they'd be friends. She looked up at him and smiled. That smile was something that he would never forget. Nield, Cerasi, and Obi-Wan stood outside the tunnels, waiting for the others to assemble. Today was the day that they would ask the Old for peace. Just before they went into the room to meet with the Melida and the Daan officials Cerasi hugged Obi-Wan. "Thank you, Obi-Wan. Thank you my friend for everything." She said before hurrying into the room. "Master, it hurts inside. It hurts worse than any physical wound I've ever had." Obi-Wan said whispered as his tears quietly subsided. "I know, Padawan, I know. It will hurt for quite awhile. But eventually it will stop. You will forget about it." "But I don't want to forget Master," Obi-Wan said, the thought of forgetting his beloved Cerasi caused fresh tears to fall, "I don't ever want to forget Cerasi, Master!" "It is not Cerasi that you will forget, Padawan. It is the pain. Eventually it will lessen and you will be able to think of your friend without the pain being unbearable. You will always miss her, but the pain that is constantly tearing at your heart now will subside." Qui-Gon said as he wiped away the tears of his Padawan. "Thank you, Master." Obi-Wan said simply. "For what, Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon asked "For saving me, for making me leave her. Cerasi wouldn't have wanted me to die because of her. Cerasi would hate that. She wouldn't want me to hate you either, Master. I am sorry for what I said, it is not true. I do not hate you, Master." Obi-Wan said. fighting back tears. "It is okay, Obi-Wan. I knew that you did not mean what you said. There is nothing wrong with grieving over a friend's death though. You should grieve, Padawan." Obi-Wan nodded and turned to sit beside his Master, facing the city of Coruscant. Qui-Gon put his arm around Obi-Wan and together they watched the sun setting. Just as the last ray of the sunset was fading Obi-Wan suddenly felt chills as a gentle wind brushed past him and then he heard Cerasi's voice, quiet and sweet, whisper, Weep not for me, Obi-Wan, my spirit will be with you always. The End |